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Default [Article]: Article and recipes on spiritual diet.

Below is an article and recipes that may be of interest to members of this
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If the Buddha Came to Dinner
How to Nourish Your Body to Awaken Your Spirit
By Halé Sofia Schatz with Shira Shaiman
Published by Hyperion March 2004; $14.95US/$22.95CAN; 0-7868-6883-X

If the Buddha came to dinner at your home, what would you serve? Fast food?
A frozen meal quickly reheated in the microwave? Chances are you'd feed your
honored guest a delicious meal prepared with love and care. But the next
time you have dinner, what will you eat?

With so much processed food in the marketplace, obesity in adults and
children dramatically on the rise, and digestive problems increasingly more
common, it's clear that we're facing a serious food crisis in this country.
The answer, however, isn't just to go on a diet. Reducing the intake of
refined and processed foods and increasing whole foods certainly can improve
one's health. But we need more. We need to feed ourselves with a sense of
purpose, self-respect, love, and passion for our lives. We need to nourish
our spirits.

Nourishment isn't a fad diet but a lifelong journey, and Halé Sofia Schatz
is the ideal guide. Gentle, wise, and humorous, she shows us the way to the
heart of nourishment -- our own inner wisdom that knows exactly how to feed
our whole self. A perfect blend of inspiration and practical suggestions, If
the Buddha Came to Dinner includes guidelines for selecting vital foods,
ideas for keeping your energy balanced throughout the day, a cleanse
program, and over 60 recipes to awaken your palate.

Open this book and nurture yourself as never before. You'll be fed in a
whole new way.

Authors

Halé Sofia Schatz, nourishment educator and consultant, has cultivated the
vital correlation between nourishment, health, and spiritual awareness for
over 30 years. Halé presents her nourishment training programs in academic,
corporate, and public settings. She lives in the Boston area with her
family.

Shira Shaiman is a freelance writer. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

For more information, please visit www.halesofiaschatz.com or
www.writtenvoices.com

Reviews

"Nourish your body and soul by reading this book! Halé's profound approach
to food and healing goes beyond the body to the deepest place where we all
long to be fed -- our spirits. This book will change the way you think about
eating forever."

--Cheryl Richardson, author of Take Time for Your Life

"Everybody who cares about their long-term health would do well to read this
book and experiment with this simple and powerful way of bringing
mindfulness and sensitivity to our relationship to food, to what's cooking,
and to who's eating."

--Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., author of Wherever You Go, There You Are

"Halé Sofia Schatz translates the wisdom of the oldest cultures on earth to
our modern lives, showing us how to reclaim our health and, in the process,
ourselves. Her work is subtle, joyful, and transformational."

--David S. Ludwig, M.D., Ph.D., director, Obesity Program, Boston Children's
Hospital, Harvard Medical School

"Halé Sofia Schatz has developed a truly unique approach to nourishment. The
profound practice she teaches is both pragmatic and highly effective."

--Lama Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddhist Heart

"Halé changed my life. I never have dinner without her."

--Andre Gregory, director, actor, playwright, star of My Dinner with Andre

"Halé inspires us to see our dinner plate in a new yet ancient light,
leading us back to the sensual, healthful relationship with food that is our
birthright as human beings."

--Mollie Katzen, author of Moosewood Cookbook and Sunlight Café

Excerpt

The following is an excerpt from the book If the Buddha Came to Dinner

by Halé Sofia Schatz Shira Shaiman

Published by Hyperion; March 2004; $14.95US/$22.95CAN; 0-7868-6883-X

Copyright © 2004 Halé Sofia Schatz

What Is Nourishment?

When we are nourished, we know who we are. We know how we feel. We
understand our priorities. We have a clearer understanding of our deep
purpose in life. We have the freedom to act in a way that honors our truest
self. When we are nourished, we move through life with graceful strength
rather than helplessly reacting to the winds and storms that may blow our
way. If you can listen and respond to the inner messages of your spirit,
then you're in a state of nourishment. On the one hand, nourishment is food,
yet food alone will never be enough to nourish us. Supermarket shelves are
overflowing, but in this country we are starving for more. We are hungry for
the nourishing foods and activities that feed our bodies, hearts, minds, and
spirits as one integrated being.

From the time I was a young girl, I have been aware of nourishment as a
daily practice. I spent the first eight years of my life in Istanbul. My
memories of Turkey all have to do with the smells, sounds, sights, and
tastes of food. From the time I was a toddler I practically lived in the
kitchen, where my mother, grandmother, and aunts could keep an eye on me.
From my seat, I would watch the elaborate and ancient dance of women
preparing food to feed their family, which was directed by my grandmother,
my nene, who most definitely was in charge of the kitchen.

Every morning we would go to the outdoor market to buy the fresh produce,
fish, and meat for that day. The day's meals depended on what the earth had
yielded. We bought bread from the local ovens, piping hot. When I was old
enough, it was my job to get the bread. I loved this daily chore, walking
home with the fresh loaf under my arm, warming my whole body. I always broke
off the crusty end and ate it during the five-minute walk home. Under the
tutelage of my grandmother, mother, and favorite aunt, I learned how to use
all my senses to select the freshest vegetables and fruits it in the market.
I came to understand that the best, ripest produce carries a certain
vibration -- in its color and texture you can feet that it had been picked
within hours. When I bit into the peach that we bought from the nearby
orchard, the flavor and nectar burst in my mouth. I could taste the sun,
rain, and earth in that piece of fruit. I could feel its life force.

Those happy hours in the kitchen were my first encounter with the hearth of
nourishment. I loved the regular rhythms of marketing, cooking, and
leisurely eating our meals together every evening with our cousins and other
relatives who always dropped by. These rhythms connected me to my family and
to my community. I intuitively understood that food's nourishing capacity
far exceeded basic physical survival. Food had the power to bring a family
together, to connect me to the earth and our planet's cycles, to nurture all
my senses.

Transformational Nourishment

When we begin to properly nourish our bodies, an amazing transformation
takes place: We begin to discover ways for nourishing all parts of
ourselves. This is transformational nourishment, the process of transforming
habitual, constricting patterns and behaviors into nourishing practices that
encourage growth and development. Is it really possible that food can help
us live fuller, more aware lives? The answer is yes! Healthy foods alone
won't enlighten you. In fact, they, too, can become an obsession. The key to
transformational nourishment is awareness.

Transformational nourishment isn't a quick-fix food program; it's a set of
tools for living an aware life. There are myriad paths for learning
self-awareness, from religious traditions and faiths to yoga, meditation,
and other spiritual disciplines. In general, however, the connection between
food and spiritual development has not been widely explored. Most food
models available today tend to focus only on the physical or emotional
levels, such as dieting and eating disorders. Transformational nourishment's
unique approach turns food and eating into a daily practice for becoming
physically, emotionally, and spiritually aware.

The natural human inclination is to continually grow, change, and create.
Even as you read this sentence, great biochemical changes are occurring
within your body. Millions of cells are being created and dying, and we
aren't close to being aware of it. Growth is a constant for all levels of
life, from the cellular to the cosmic. So, too, as humans, our natural state
is one of growth and change. But sometimes we get stuck. In our culture, we
particularly run into problems because we are living more sedentary lives,
and we eat the sweet, sticky, salty, highly refined foodstuffs that
perpetuate a sedentary existence. These foods also tend to trap us in places
where we feel safe, secure, and resistant to change.

When we are clear about our intention of how we want to develop, the foods
that propel us forward usually are the ones that we don't crave. I've been a
nourishment consultant for over twenty-five years and I've never seen a
client who has addictive patterns with vegetables or lean proteins, such as
tofu, fish, and organic meat. It may seem simple, but just by shifting your
food consumption to more vital essence foods (vegetables, fruit, grains,
lean proteins), you will feel more empowered and in touch with a deeper part
of yourself.

While transformational nourishment is a subtle, nonlinear process, it's
helpful to break it down into its multiple parts so you can see how the
physical, emotional, and spiritual interconnect. As you start to eat clean
food, the body responds by eliminating what isn't necessary. Depending on
the individual, many types of physical changes can manifest over time --
from greater energy and clarity of mind to improved digestion, weight loss,
disappearance of allergies, and a strengthened immune system. At the same
time, a similar process has been triggered on the emotional and spiritual
levels. Negative emotional and behavioral patterns may also reveal
themselves as "toxic." Maybe your self-perceptions, relationships, or how
you've been living your life no longer support the person you are today, or
the person you genuinely wish to become. When the body and emotions are
unbalanced, we can't hear the voice that is our spirit, the deeper
conscious- ness that we know to be true. With the body and emotions in a
balanced, receptive state, the spiritual part of ourselves is more
accessible.

To make lasting changes, you need both awareness and action. just as
something is dying, something new is being born. To make room for your new
self, you have to prune the old patterns. Letting go is risky business
because the old patterns, the old shell, seem so secure. The choice is
yours. You can exert a lot of energy trying to resist your growth, or you
can respond to the messages from your spirit.



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Shiitake Mushroom Soup

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 10-12 minutes

Seasons: Spring/Summer

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

10 fresh shiitake mushroom caps, sliced

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups boiling water

1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed limejuice

1/2 teaspoons crumbled wakame, dulse, or kelp sea vegetable

freshly ground black pepper to taste

Garnish

1 cup arugula or bok choy, coarsely chopped

1 finely chopped scallion

1. In a medium soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat Add the onion,
mushroom caps, and salt and sauté for about 5 minutes or until the onion is
soft.

2. Add the boiling water to the onion and mushrooms and cook for 5 more
minutes. Turn off the heat and season with lime juice, sea vegetable, and
pepper, adjusting as necessary. Garnish individual bowls with arugula or bok
choy and scallions just before serving.



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Asian Spring Rolls

Yield: 1 roll

Suggested Serving: 3 rolls per person

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Seasons: Spring/Summer/Fall 1

1 large (8-inch) spring roll rice wrapper (see note)

1/2 sheet of nori sea vegetable

1 arugula leaf, or 2 sprigs watercress

small amount of sprouts (sunflower, radish, broccoli, etc.)

2˝-inch piece of scallion

4-5 fresh mint leaves

2-3 thin slices of ripe avocado

1. Place the rice wrapper under hot water from your kitchen sink until
pliable, about 5-10 seconds. Remove immediately. Gently shake off any excess
water and set onto a dry, flat surface.

2. Place the half sheet of nori on the bottom part of the rice wrapper (the
part nearest you). Add the remaining ingredients on top of the nori,
starting with the arugula and sprouts, leaving a 1-inch space around the
edges. Be careful not to overstuff the roll, as the wrapper will teae if it
is too full.

3. Start rolling from the bottom, folding in the sides as you roll. The rice
wrapper is sticky when it's wet, so it will adhere to itself. The rolls are
best served the same day. If storing in the refrigerator, cover them well
with plastic wrap or a damp cloth so that they don't dry out.

Variation:

Try filling the roll with feta cheese, vermicelli, or any combination of
fresh vegetables and herbs that are in season.

Note:

Rice wrappers are available at Asian markets or whole foods stores.



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Asian Spring Roll Dipping Sauces

Yield: 1/4 cup

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Seasons: All

These lively dressings are fantastic dipping sauces for the Asian Spring
Rolls (see page 235). They're also great for green salads, steamed
vegetables, or to dress up canned tuna or salmon.

Miso Wasabi Sauce

1 tablespoon light or mellow miso

3 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon wasabi mustard

1 tablespoon chopped scallions

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well until the mixture is
smooth. Add more water for a thinner consistency.

Cleanse Note:

This recipe is not appropriate for the cleanse.

Spicy Ginger Miso Sauce

1 teaspoon light or mellow miso

3 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon wasabi mustard

1/22 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

pinch of crushed red pepper

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well until the mixture is
smooth.



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Soul-Satisfying Fish Stew

Serves 4

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes

Seasons: Fall/Winter/Spring

2-3 small leeks

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger

2-3 carrots, matchstick sliced

6 shiitake mushroom caps, sliced

2-3 large potatoes, cut in 1/2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons tamari or Bragg

1 tablespoon wakame or dulse granules

1 pound white fish fillets: haddock, sole, cod, or tilapia, rinsed

4 stalks bok choy, chopped

3 tablespoons arrowroot (optional)

Garnish

4 scallions or a handful of arugula, chopped

1. Trim the roots of the leeks. Slice off and discard the tough green leaves
from the tops of the leeks. Wash the remaining white and light green
portions thoroughly in cold water. Make sure to rinse in between the layers,
removing any sand. Shake dry and slice thinly.

2. In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Sauté the leeks and
ginger for 2-3 minutes. Add the carrots, shiitakes, potatoes, tamari, wakame
or dulse, and enough water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a boil, reduce
heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

3. Add the fish fillets and simmer, covered, for another 10-15 minutes. Mix
in the bok choy.

4. Dissolve the arrowroot in 3 tablespoons cold water. Add to the stew and
stir for 1 minute until the stew thickens. Remove from the heat and garnish
individual bowls with scallions or arugula. Serve immediately.

Copyright © 2004 Halé Sofia Schatz

For more information, please visit www.halesofiaschatz.com or
www.writtenvoices.com